Royals
by madaboutasoiaf
Summary: The War for the Dawn has been won but is all now well in Westeros? Future fic where Arya and Aegon have married and are reigning in King's Landing


A/N: I wrote this after certain comments on my other fic prompted the idea. This is not linked to the other although there are similarities in the way the relationship evolved between Arya and Aegon. Aegon is King, Arya is his Queen and this is a look at their roles, their relationship and how they deal with things. It will never, ever happen but the scenario wouldn't go away. It is probably the closest to a happy conclusion I can manage. Few other characters are mentioned. Form your own fluffy headcanons for them as you wish because if I tell you what I think happens to many of them I will depress you all :P

Arya dismissed the handmaiden, preferring to take care of herself. She was tired of being told that a queen must keep up appearances. _If I can do something myself I will._ It did not take her long to get ready for bed. She did not wear her hair in the elaborate style of the ladies in the court. Her dress had been modest, suitable for walking the streets of the city. She pulled a brush through her hair and changed into her shift to sleep.

A noise in the solar alerted her to Aegon's presence. She had seen him earlier in the day at the small council meeting and knew he was unhappy. She entered the solar and found him seated at the desk, paper and an inkwell in front of him. A frown creased his handsome face though he still offered her a smile.

"Do you have much still to do?" she asked. She padded over to him and pulled a chair up to sit beside him.

He sighed. "I must write to the Westerlands and the Stormlands. You know both are unsettled and the question of succession is still unresolved. Pentos makes demands, they want aid in their war. I believe the Iron Islands are about to change leadership. I have to offer terms." He looked at her with sadness in his eyes. "It isn't what I thought it would be."

The complaint was one Arya had heard before. Aegon was good at leading an army, he was brave and generous to those he cared for but he lacked patience for ruling. He had to work hard at it and after the war, well, they all lacked enthusiasm for difficult diplomacy. Arya craved peace and respite from hard times as much as Aegon did but it was not to be. She leaned closer and pressed a kiss to his temple. He took her hand, lacing his fingers through hers.

"You need to do something you like for a little while" she suggested.

Aegon shook his head. "They have scheduled meetings for every hour." He slid the papers closer. "I have to learn to do this properly."

"You already do" she protested. "Can Jon help? Surely he can take on something for you. We could take out those Sand Steeds your uncle sent us. You would feel much better after we went riding I'm sure."

Aegon gave her a brighter smile, one full of affection and raised her hand to his lips to kiss her knuckles. "I would like that. There are those who would prefer Jon did more. It might serve."

She saw the wrinkle in his forehead. _There are those who want Jon to be King._ She squeezed his hand.

"Jon does not want to be king."

"I know" Aegon said quickly. "He would not be here if not for you. He wanted to be here for his little sister."

There was a little hurt to his tone. "He is here for you too" she protested. "He is here for both of us."

Aegon nodded an acknowledgement and there was a brief silence. "Varys came to see me about you drinking moon tea."

Arya scowled. "I asked him not to."

Aegon gave a bitter laugh. "Yes. He told me. I think it gave him a shock to hear that I knew."

Guilt surged through her. "It will only be a few more moons."

Aegon put his arm around her, pulling her close and kissing her firmly on the forehead. "Don't" he reprimanded. "I will wait as long as need be. I will not lose you in childbirth."

Bran had told her of a vision and after what they had been through they did not question it. "I know you need an heir" Arya said weakly.

"I have an heir" Aegon reminded her. "Jon is my heir."

She did not have an answer to that. Jon did not want to be King, it was true. There were also as many in court who did not want him as there were who did. He came to Kings Landing after the war ended and the Night's Watch disbanded. He came for her and Aegon. _He would hate being King._ Arya would not want to stay either. Aegon and Jon made it tolerable.

She rose, tugging on his hand. "Will you come to bed?"

He let go of her hand, turning back to his papers. "You go" he said softly. "I will join you in a little while."

Arya lay in the bed, looking around the chambers. She did not like having the bed to herself. She thought back on when she first married Aegon. They gave her the Queen's apartments. It was tradition for the King and Queen to have separate quarters. It did not take long for the japes to reach her ears. Aegon spent every night in her bed. Whenever his advisors needed him they were told to look for her. She heard what was being said.

_He might be King but she rules him._

Aegon did not question her when she moved her things into the King's apartments. She had hoped that the cruel words did not reach his ears but mayhaps they had. The first thing he did was hang her beloved direwolf tapestry on the wall where she could see it. The Stark sigil hung proudly by her side of the bed. His three headed dragon hung on the other side. Unfortunately it did not end there.

Arya knew the whispers. It was said Arya only married him so that the North would keep its crown. They thought Aegon to be a lovesick fool. They did not understand. Yes, Bran kept his crown but he would keep it regardless. Nobody had the power to take it from him. It was Bran who urged her to accept Aegon's proposal but not for a crown. Arya still remembered the conversation.

_"Your union will bring peace Arya."_

_Arya still hesitated. "I should stay in the North. Winterfell is my home."_

_Bran looked at her knowingly. "Every highborn woman marries, if not him there will be another. Even somebody with your gifts cannot escape that. To refuse all offers will make enemies. Winterfell will make enemies."_

_He knew just what to say to make her weaken. "I don't want to leave you" she said softly._

_Bran smiled. "I do not want you to leave either but you know I will be there too, even if you do not see me. Anyway, I know you pine for him. You love him."_

_The time to hide it had passed and Arya simply nodded. "I do love him" she whispered._

It did not stop her hating the Red Keep. She lay looking at the tapestry and thinking of Winterfell and the heart tree. She heard Aegon approach and knew he had abandoned his letters early. A small smile curved her lips as she heard him undressing and felt him climb onto the bed. He touched her gently, his hand sliding along her back between her shoulder blades. When his thumb rubbed along her shoulder, easing out tension she had not been aware of she uttered a soft moan.

His lips brushed against her neck and she sighed as he rubbed a little longer. He chuckled at her reaction.

"You are easily pleased."

Arya grinned. "You are the only person who would say that."

He kissed her again, right where her neck joined her shoulder and her hand slid along her thigh, lifting the bottom of her shift. His touch was no longer hesitant and since they married Arya knew bedding her was his right. She knew just as well that if she ever told him no he would stop. She also knew with certainty she would never grow tired of him making love to her.

"Did you find out anything interesting in the city today?" he asked.

Arya tried to gather her wits to answer. His hand was still at her thigh, he slid it higher as he buried his face in her hair.

"They are overcharging in the markets" she finally replied. His touch was maddening and she quickly began to undo the lacings in the front of her shift. "The people are paying too much-"

Her words cut off into a hiss as his fingers traced a path from her inner thigh over her hip. "Did you speak with them or shall I?"

Arya rolled onto her back and she saw him falter when he spotted her state of undress. She touched her fingers to his chest in a light caress. "I spoke with them. The people will come to you if it happens again."

He leaned down, pressing a kiss between her breasts. "They love their queen" he said softly.

He was right. The people seemed to like her even if many in the court did not. Aegon was looking at her with a soft expression. She held onto these moments tightly. They helped remind her there was still good in the world after all the days of darkness, all the time they were hunted by dead things and worse. She dragged the shift further off her shoulders, trying to determine whether to discard it entirely but Aegon moved before she had the chance. Arya shifted, letting him settle over her and let her head drop back as he kissed her throat.

"My lady wife" he murmured.

Arya allowed him this one. She knew it was still a source of triumph to him after how long he pursued her. The wedding had been a tedious affair but his happiness made it worth it. The wetness and ache between her legs grew as she remembered that night and she hooked one leg around him. Aegon took it as encouragement and Arya closed her eyes as his calloused fingers ran over her skin, his practised touch finding all the places he had learned she liked. His hair tickled her nipple and Arya whimpered, anticipating the feel of his mouth. She felt the rush of heat, the flood of sensation at his eager attentions. Her response only encouraged him.

"You are such a beautiful distraction" he said in a low voice. His hot breath on her skin did just as much to her as his tongue when he flicked it against her nipple. "There are days I would prefer to stay here and fuck you until you are tired of me."

Arya ran her fingers over his back and brushed her foot along his thigh. "There are days we have done that" she reminded him. She teased his hair as he kissed and suckled at her other breast, trying to ignore how badly she wanted him inside her. She would not break first. "It has been some time since the last. You have been most dutiful."

His hand returned to her thigh as he raised his head from her breast to look at her. The candlelight shone dimly but she could see his desire. His eyes were a deeper purple in the poor lighting, they looked almost black.

"Aegon" she whispered, wondering why he paused.

"I will go with on the tomorrow" he said in a low voice. "We can visit that place you like at the edge of the woods where the wild flowers grow."

He kissed her before she could answer. Her arms wound loosely around his neck as the kiss deepened, his tongue gently caressing hers. Arya ran one hand down his body no longer caring about outlasting him. His muscles tensed under her fingertips and he brushed his lips against hers more gently as he hiked her shift up that little more. Aegon whispered her name as she helped guide him inside her. The way he looked at her even after they had done this countless times still touched her.

_He still makes me feel special._

His initial thrusts were more tender than she expected. She wondered briefly if he knew of her difficulties with the other ladies but quickly forgot it as his lovemaking became more urgent. She lost herself in the feel of him deep within her, relishing the closeness that came with them being joined in this way. Her hands pulled him close, wanting more as she felt the promise of release building.

Aegon kept his gaze fixed on her as he kissed away the cries they both knew she didn't want the Kingsguard hearing. They had heard it all before but it was one of the things Arya hated. When she expressed her pleasure to him, the words were for him and nobody else. Still, she told him and saw her own thrill reflected in him as he finished.

He stayed with her briefly afterwards. She could feel his heart beating almost in time with hers. _One flesh, one heart, one soul_ she thought. Aegon rolled onto his side, his arm still draped across her. They spoke very little. She let him lace up the shift. Arya knew he did not like others seeing her and it was not uncommon for them to be disturbed in their chambers. His fingers lingered in a final caress and he leaned close to kiss her once more.

They soon slept. The routine was familiar and Arya knew what to expect. They always slept for a time after making love. She woke as she did most nights to Aegon tossing and turning. She woke him from the torment and watched his eyes go from wild fear to something closer to normalcy. Arya held him, making soothing noises.

"I have you my love" she murmured. "We are safe now. They are all gone." She rained kisses on him as his breathing slowed and he returned her embrace.

"Your eyes were blue" he whispered. "I had to burn you."

Arya knew those dreams. She had them too. She pressed her lips to his forehead once more. "It was only a dream."

He stilled and his hand rubbed her back in a reassuring gesture. He looked into her face and Arya tried to control her expression.

"Will I make you happy?" he asked in an earnest voice. "Has your brother seen it?"

"You already make me happy" she protested. There were difficult days, she would not deny that but she would not choose differently.

Aegon held her more tightly. "I am going to outride you on the morrow. You see if I don't. We will dismiss the Kingsguard so that we can swim in the lake together."

Arya sighed and smiled to hear him sound like his old self. "I will fuck you again while we are alone and if you please me well enough I might even pick you some of those wild flowers."

Aegon's laughter echoed through the chambers and Arya found herself joining in. When he fell silent she thought for a moment before telling him the secret she had been keeping. She took his hand and placed it on her stomach. There might be nothing there now but there would be in a few short moons.

"Your seed will grow inside me. Bran has seen it. The wait will be worth it. Our children will be strong and happy and they will live the lives we could only dream of."

Aegon's breath caught. "For true?"

Arya nestled into his embrace again. "For true. I will give you family."

Aegon kissed the top of her head. "You are my family Arya."

Her father had been right after all. Some of her pack had died, mayhaps not a lone wolf, that part he had wrong. Her pack would still survive and grow. Her husband might be a dragon but their children would have her blood. The wolves would come again.


End file.
